Fuel-burning device



March 26; 1929. L. ALDRICH 1,706,395

FUEL BURNING DEVICE Original Filed Oct. 1, 1925 Patented Mar. 26, 1929.

UNITED- STATES;

- i 1,706,395 PATENT OFFICE.

LOYD I. ALDRICH, OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR 'IO PR1?IEIE'iRIRJEID OIL BUBNERS, IN G., I O]? PEORIA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

FUEL-BURNING nnvron.

Application fi1ed October 1, 1923, Serial No. 665,785. Renewed February 10,.1926.

' My invention relates to fuel burning devices and more particularly to'a drain or oil sump therefor.

The object of my invention isin the provision of a drain panor fuel sump for a fuel burning device whereby the excess fuel that drips or leaks from portions thereof will be caught in said sump and returned to the device for consumption upon ,a succeeding 1o movement thereof. a

Another object of my invention is in a specific means for returning excess fuel from a sump disposed beneath the main portions of.

a fuel burner to said burner. I p

A further object of my invention is in the provision. of a fuel sump for catching the waste or excess fuel from a fuel burning device and means for automatically returning said waste fuel to the burner during the 2 operation thereof. c

Other objects of my invention will appear in the following specification taken in connection with the annexed drawing in which Figure 1 is a plan View of the fuel sump with the burner apparatus removed.

Figure 2 is a side elevation partially in section of a fuel burner outfit showing the relation of the fuel sump and drain mechanism thereto. i

I have shown in the drawings my fuel sump and drain means, in connection with my fuel burning device which has been described in detail in my co-pending application Serial No. 633,27 2 filed April 19th, 1923. However, my present sump and drain means is adapted to be used in connection with any fuel burning outfit wherein a pump means is provided for placing air under pressure for purposes of atomization. In the fuel burning device described in detail in my co-pending application and which is here illustrated, I have provided an air pump for placing air under pressure. This pump is shown at 10 in the present application and briefly, includes means for drawing air thereinto and placing said air under pressure. I do not wish to be limited to any specific type of pump and as a matter of fact any means for drawing air into a fuel burning outfit would accomplish the same result in connection with the following Fuel burning outfits for house installation have developed to a very high degree. However, due to the numerous moving portions therein and to the high speed at which they operate there is always a considerable amount of leakage therefrom, which, unless otherwise disposed of, drains to the floor, usually the basement, upon which the burning device is located. Not only is this waste fuel diflicult to clean up, but also and much more impor-' tant is the fact that it is dangerous because of the combustible qualities contained there- 1n. The majority of fuels usedin the present fuel burning devices are easily ignitableand for this reason every precaution must be taken to prevent any leakage from the device. The fact that the device from which the excess fuel leaks or drains is adjacent a furnace wherein there is a tremendous heat is ent structure I have illustrated at 10 an air gravity to the main sump 12 disposed at the lowest point.

Ihave not illustrated all of the supporting means of the burning device and sump, but leg portions similar to the one shown at 13 are adapted to support the sump and from which the burning device is similarly adapted to be rigidly supported. Means for draining the sump after an accumulation of oil has leaked thereinto is provided in the following mechan1sm:

An air inlet pipe 14 leads from the air pump 10 to a mufller 15, said pipe intermediate its length, having the return bend 16, passing thru the main sump 12. The mufiler 15 encloses the open end of the air pipe 14, the air inlet into said pipe being thru the restricted opening or intake 17 whereby movement of the air pump and the consequent drawing in of the air thru the restricted opening produces a partial vacuum within the muflier 15. The bend 16 in the air pipe passes thru the main sump portion and is supported therein by means of the bracket 18, which actually forms the bend in the air pipe, said bracket engaging the sump as shown at 18 and 18'. A vent 19 in the lower side of the bend 16 permits the waste fuel to seep into the bend. However, there is a screen 20 disposed below the vent 19 in connection with the lower end of the supporting bracket for the purpose of straining the fuel before its return to the burner for consumption.

The operation of my drain for the fuel sump is as follows f Either activity or inactivity of the burner, as said before, results in a varying amount of fuel leaking from various portions of the outfit. This waste fuel drains, due to the par ticular formation of the sump, to the lowermost point thereof, filling the main sump wherein is disposed the bend in the air pipe connecting the liquid air pump and the vacuum muffler. The waste fuel that has drained into the main sump passes thru the strainer and thence thru-a vent 19 into the return bend, subsequently closing said pipe with an oil seal between'the liquid air pump and the muflier. Normal activity of the burner results in the withdrawal of air thru the restricted opening 17 thru the air pipe 14 and into the air pressure pump. This withdrawal the result that whenever the waste fuel rises to such a point as shown in Figure 2 of the drawing; that is, filling the return bend in the air pipe, then the waste fuel will adhere to the airand be carried up to the liquid air pressure pump.

You can see from the above that whenever disposed below the burner device results in notonly a clean apparatus, but also prevents any possibility of life dueto the leakage of fuel of high combustible quality.

What I claim is w l. The combination with a fuel burning device including an air pressure pump, of a waste fuel drain including a sump, a partial vacuum muffler and an air inlet plpeconnecting the air pump and muffler andhaving a bend therein within the sump portion, said pipe also having a ventadjacent the sump.

2. The combination with a fuel burning device, including an air pressure pump, of a waste fuel sump, means for automatically draining the fuel sump including an air pipe havinga return bend within the fuel sump and having an opening thereinto, a closed container disposed about the open end of the air pipe, said air pipe having an air inlet part adjacent said container.

v In testimony whereof I af fix my signature.

' LOYD I. ALDRICH. 

